Rector’s reflection – 5 & ½ years at the Parish of Sandy Bay and Taroona
Ruth Hanlon Final Service 4th August 2024
Ephesians 3: 20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
As I reflect back over my five and a half years in the parish, I am in awe of what the Lord has done. So much more than we could have asked for or imagined.
Today I want to give God the glory for the ministry I have experienced here, and I pray as Paul prayed for the Philippians, that being confident, he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I was inducted as Priest in Charge (later becoming Rector) on the 31st January 2019. The Bishop Richard Condie appointed me and gave me five years to turn the parish around for it to be viable. The parish was under review and St Stephen’s Sandy Bay had just closed and the parish was amalgamated to one site at St Luke’s.
Despite the challenges of the past and then COVID in 2020, God certainly did turn things around doing more than we could imagine and the parish came out from under review in only 2 years – March 2021. There has been healing and restoration of hope and faith and joy in worship.
During my time here we began some new and creative groups – including what we called “Creative Space” and with support from Ruth Amos and Libby Todd we ran a writing and art group. Some flourished for a while some and then came to an end as new ones started such as Song Space with Kathryn Ottaway, Andrea Marks and Ruth Amos.
With Heather Verrall and Jane Calder, we began Playgroup to reach out and be a blessing in the community. It’s had growth and slow times, but praise God it is really flourishing now!
Other groups that were running when I arrived have continued such as men’s tea and the exercise group.
We need to pray and find ways to build bridges from our groups to connect with faith and church.
Wednesday Bible study has continued to be an important place for members to encourage one another, growing in faith and understanding the bible…hope for new groups as the church grows. I have run Alpha several times and it is always such a blessing. After one Alpha group we continued for a while trialling gatherings on Sunday@ 5. Luke has just finished another inspiring Alpha and has plans to continue a faith gathering on Sunday evenings.
Over the years we have tried to work on our vision and we now have a Vision group and action plan ready for growing with the new Rector.
Along with our groups we have continued to connect and bless the community with the long established annual Carols on the lawn, we had another wonderful turn out last year.
Our Spring Festival continues to bless the community with rain each, last year was no exception! Despite the rain, the locals continue to come and enjoy Last year we also started community lunches and there is now an initiative to continue those with input from the local Coolamon Rd neighbours.
I began a Maundy Thursday Passover style supper which has become a very special annual event leading into the Easter weekend.
The parish commitment to mission has grown. Along with our regular giving to Hobart City Mission we now support Anglicare twice a year with a special commitment to their Christmas and Winter appeal. Our annual Christmas in July dinner with guest speaker from Anglicare is always well supported and such an inspiration.
We continue to support overseas mission especially through the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and have link missionaries Maurice and Amanda Jacobsen in Cambodia. We continue to give and connect with ABM and BCA.
As I reflect over the property of the parish I think back to how my office space was created from a storage /junk room to a beautiful space. The clearing out rubbish a symbol of new beginnings.
The sale of St Stephen’s was a huge milestone. Much work took place including the moving of the memorial garden to the side of St Luke’s which we cleaned up and then painted all the outside – including painting the meeting room to match the rest of the church. The foyer trims were also painted making the entrance more inviting including new plants around the church.
Other improvements include, comfortable chairs replacing pews and new carpet. A baby grand piano was donated.
There are now plans for updating the kitchen and making more storage space. The sale of St Stephens has enabled us to enhance our buildings.
Staff – Kathryn Ottaway has been such a blessing volunteering in the office carrying out administrative tasks especially preparing the bulletin and PowerPoint each week, uploading sermons to the website, following up on internet problems and so much more. Thank you Kathryn!
Erna Brigg has continued to be a great support – taking home communion to members who can’t make it to church anymore. Stepping in to lead prayer and bible study when I have been absent. Occasional preaching and celebrating (though sadly ill health has put this on hold in recent times)
As we came out from under review we moved from Committee of Management to Parish Council. I am very grateful to all who have served over my time. Thankful too for answered prayer as it changed from an all-female council to at least having one male and a male treasurer!
Finally, we saw a long-awaited answer to prayer this year with the appointment of Luke Campton as Community Connections Minister. In 2021 we received a grant to employ a Children and Family Trainee if we could match the grant. The congregation were very generous (especially one anonymous donor who matched peoples giving) and we raised the money. But then we did not have any applicants for the position. This year we changed the job profile and the Lord led Luke Campton to the parish. God does answer prayers – it was worth the wait! Thank you, Luke, for answering God’s call and all you are bringing to the parish. We were able to tap into extra funding from the New Ministry Development Fund, money put aside from the sale of St Stephen’s.
Luke has been warmly welcomed and is making such an impact in the church and community. From the playgroup to men’s tea, running Alpha, to getting out in the community to help a scout bbq and attend the Anzac Day gathering. We have seen another huge answer to prayer as Luke began a lunch time student group with a teacher at Taroona High School -with 20 students attending! So exciting. God does do so much more than we can ask or imagine!
There are so many volunteers that make St Luke’s the place that it is and I really can’t name you all as it would take too long. But thank you to all of you. From all those on the rosters from cleaning to welcoming, reading, morning tea, sound, media, reading, praying, playing music. And those not on the roster but do things like ensure we are following safe church guidelines (Jill) and weed and water the garden and pick up wallaby poo and buy supplies to keep us in coffee and toilet paper!
Over the years I have had the privilege of presiding over several funerals, some for much loved members here – Wes James, John Millington and John Kerr to name a few.
What a joy for the Bishop to visit this year as Therese and Jacque were welcomed into the Anglican Communion and Angela was confirmed. I was also delighted to take the first wedding in St Lukes since Trevor and Barb Abbot were married here in 2012!
There have been a few baptisms in my time here and I am especially thrilled to be baptising a young person (Greta) on my last service at St Luke’s today.
It has been wonderful to see new and younger (and male!) people coming along to church in the last year. God continues to bless and turn the church around!
I thank each of you for such wonderful encouragement and support for myself and Michael during our time at St Luke’s. It has been such a privilege and blessing to be part of this community and to see so many flourishing in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
I know he will continue to carry on the good work begun in each of you and in this church. This weekend marks the middle of the current Olympics in Paris which leads me to reflect on scripture that encourages us to run our race of faith. From Hebrews 12: 1-2, …since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith.
I pray God’s richest blessings of love, joy, peace and hope. I pray as from Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians (3:14-21) that you will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Filled with the Holy Spirit who will lead you in all things. We give God the glory and I know that he will continue to accomplish in you and in this parish far more than we can ask or imagine – according to his power that is at work in us! Amen.